The present invention is directed to circuit protection panelboards used to transfer power from a power line to associated branch lines, wherein each branch line is protected by a circuit protection device, such as a branch circuit breaker. Panelboards may be used as main feed devices or as subfeed devices within a power system.
A related patent application entitled "Panelboard", Ser. No. 07/999,448, filed on Dec. 31, 1992 invented by the same inventor of the present patent application and also owned by Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. was filed on the same day as this application.
The entire contents of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,118,754; 4,167,769; and 4,536,823 are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. These patents are owned by Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc., which is the owner of the present application.
There are two commonly used styles of panelboards: so-called "main lug" panelboards which directly connect a power line to the panelboard busbars and so-called "main breaker" or "main switch" panelboards which interpose a circuit protection device, which may be for example a circuit breaker or fused protection device, between the power line and the panelboard busbars. The main circuit breaker is commonly a molded case circuit breaker having load terminals which are individually connected to a corresponding panelboard busbar by separate phase connecting straps.
Known phase connecting straps are relatively inconvenient to install in the field, because they must be separately aligned and connected between the main breaker load terminal and its corresponding busbar. Each phase connecting strap often has a different physical configuration; the installer must determine which strap must be utilized for a given installation configuration, which requires additional installation time.
The shortcomings of known connecting straps are overcome by the main circuit breaker installation kits of the present invention, which allow ready connection of a main circuit breaker to a panelboard by use of a modular connection unit at the factory or in the field. The modular connection unit eliminates the need for an installer to select specific connector straps for a given application. All the installer need do is select a specific, preassembled module designed for a particular panelboard/main breaker application. A field installer having a kit with an assortment of connector module units and spare main lugs, which mount to the panelboard busbars in the same fashion as the connector modules is readily able to wire up any desired panelboard application.